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Spurred by the release of the “Michael” biopic (2026), many have been creating content related to the work of the late Michael Jackson, which has been nothing short of inspiring, electrifying and defying gravity.

Canada’s own Funkanometry is one such act, consisting of Jacksun Fryer and Carlow Rush, based on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Funkanometry finished second on Canada’s Got Talent 2024 and stayed right up to the semifinals of America’s Got Talent 2022.

While the duo is best known for their hip hop and popping moves, they combine robotic and comedic elements, helped by both their goofy personalities, into their routine, making them stand out from the rest of the dance crews. They also teach dance online, distinguishing them from many other dancers and content creators.

What better way than to perform the dance to “Human Nature” against the backdrop of nature. According to the comment by Funkanometry, the (dance) video was shot at Bowen Park, Nanaimo in Canada.

Funkanometry does its own choreography, which can be seen from the smoothness and sleekness of every move. Of course, Funkanometry isn’t exactly perfect, but you can tell Funkanometry’s moves are neat, comical, funky and modern, making the duo worth re-watching.

In fact, at some point through the dance video, Funkanometry can be seen mouthing part of the lyrics to the haunting, brooding ballad, which wasn’t even supposed to be sung by Michael Jackson… until Quincy Jones inadvertently heard it via the cassette tape that was playing the demo, thanks to the “auto-reverse” function found on cassette decks and felt that the song was a good fit for Michael Jackson.

The way the hand gestures were done for the video, almost immediately once there’s skipping/a shortcut to the irresistible chorus, is cute, creative and addictive in the sense that it’s almost similar to the “why” emoji, used in text messaging - both in short messaging systems of your mobile phone and apps via your smartphone or device.

Listen closely and you’ll hear birds chirping in the background. The commenters are for real! This is one of the highlights of the video, whereby Funkanometry is backed by nature, while celebrating the human body. So, you’re not just celebrating Michael Jackson himself, but also nature, the human body and the team behind the ballad.

The ending of the video will surely make you smile in that Funkanometry fades from your view, before the camera zooms in to offer you greenery and natural beauty, as seen in parks.

The video, posted on Instagram, has since garnered 152,000 views from the date of posting three days ago. Out of the 152, 000 views, 12.8K have liked the video.

Funkanometry, who bears the Instagram handle funkanometry_, can also be found on TikTok under the handle @funkanometry

“Human Nature” was written by the keyboardist Steve Porcaro, in response to a bullying incident, which happened when Porcaro’s daughter was at her school’s playground. Porcaro, of the dynamic rock band Toto, gave three possible reasons as to why some people would act in such a manner. One of which was simply that it was part of human nature. 

However, if you were to re-frame it for Michael Jackson, who had been a complex human being, as a result of being in the spotlight from a young age, and having to sacrifice or have certain routines to follow in place of other kids’ day-to-day that are usually filled with enough playtime and rest, besides just attending school, it can be seen as a way to escape the limelight and just having the chance and freedom to explore what’s beyond the stage and studio. The opening to the chorus, which hooks you (and I) to this day speaks of accepting emotions as part of human nature, even though you and I may also struggle with helplessness when grappling with unpredictable emotions. While Jackson is also a songwriter, he did not write the lyrics to this song. Instead, the lyricist John Bettis had a hand in this song, which has been gaining traction on social media as several content creators have been dissecting and analysing the synthesiser elements in the outro, which in itself can be considered an earworm, for its soothing, dreamy yet powerful nature.

“Human Nature” (1983), known for its hypnotic, flowing arpeggios, is said to have preceded and paved the way for modern R&B tracks. The calming, atmospheric feeling makes it the perfect track for dancing and choreography – in memory of the one and only.

“Human Nature” ended up on Thriller, Michael Jackson’s sixth solo album and with the track being a collaboration as work was done by some Toto members, while production was done by Jones, with vocals by the late King of Pop.